


Anathema

by agirlintheville



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Slow Build, Verbal abuse of a child, multi chapter fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-15
Updated: 2015-07-17
Packaged: 2018-04-09 12:31:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4348868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agirlintheville/pseuds/agirlintheville
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the son of an angel and a demon, Clint always had the deck stacked against him. Then he decided to fall in love with a human. After all, it's not like he didn't have enough trouble in his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Edith

**Author's Note:**

> I am making up a great deal of the mythology in this but I hope it's entertaining and doesn't offend anyone!

If anyone had asked Clint (and no one ever did), he'd tell you that the moment the bird men landed on his mama's front lawn was the exact moment when his life crumbled to pieces.

* * *

  
"Mama! Mama! Come look!"

Edith looked up from her sewing machine, smiling at her youngest son. The four year old had been staring out the window, narrating every single detail of what he was going to do once she had finished sewing and they could go outside. Her other son, Barney, sat next to him, encouraging his ideas.

"What is it Clint?" she asked smiling. "You see something out the window?"

"Bird men, Mama! In the yard! They came out of the sky!" Clint looked at her with eyes wide and stunned, and Edith froze, the clacking of the machine stopping abruptly. 

Barney heaved a sigh as he joined Clint at the window. "Those aren't bird men, dumbo. They're angels. Don't you ever listen to Mama's stories?"

Edith leapt out of her chair, overturning the sewing machine in her panic. Both boys jumped and stared at her.

"Mama, what-"

"What color are their wings, Barney?"

"What?"

_"What color are their wings?"_

Barney flinched at her shout but he glanced out the window at the three figures standing on the lawn. "They're red."

Edith closed her eyes, "What are they doing?"

"Nothing. They're just standing there."

"Mama?" Clint asked softly.

"Shh baby, shh."

Edith stood still, eyes tightly closed, hands clenching by her sides. She felt the air grow thick and heavy, and when she opened her eyes again, she stood in front of the three angels on the lawn. She looked back at the house, saw her sons with their faces pressed to the window and her own body motionless behind them.

She then looked at the Enforcers, their wings tucked in at their backs, red as the fires of Hell. Their black fedora hats were pulled down low over their eyes and their black suits glowed with a light that she had never seen here on Earth.

The one on the far left stepped forward and Edith flared her wings wide, white and blinding. The angel stopped at her show of defiance and glared at her.

She faintly heard Clint say with amazement, "Look, Barney, Mama has wings too!"

"Oh no," whispered Barney.

The middle enforcer stepped forward as well and tipped his hat up. "Edith."

"Nick."

"You ran."

"I had to."

His golden eyes stared at her and then moved towards the living room window. "So the rumors are true."

"Anathema," the third angel whispered, pushing her brown hair back as she also looked at the boys in the window. Nick frowned at her before returning his eyes to Edith.

"You know why we are here."

"Yes."

"Then you know there's no use in running."

"Yes."

Nick nodded, "I'll give you five minutes."

"Those weren't our orders, Nick," hissed the Enforcer on the left.

"Thank you, Alex. I am aware," Nick said calmly, holding Edith's gaze.

"Five minutes?" she asked. "Bound by the laws of this realm?"

"Yes."

Alex let out a low growl, "I'm going to report this, Fury!"

"Good. I want you to."

Edith looked over at the angel and saw his face twisted in anger. She glanced at the other Enforcer, whose lips were curved in a small smile.

"Edith." She snapped her eyes to meet Nick's. "Your time starts now."

 

* * *

 

"Mama!" Edith opened her eyes and grabbed Clint's hand from where he had been tugging on her pants. She swept him into her arms and reached out to grab Barney's wrist. He tugged against her grip.

"Barney, we need to go!"

"But they're coming! They're coming for us!"

"Yes, they are. But we don't give up without a fight."

She pulled his arm again and this time he followed.

With her boys close, Edith ran out the back door and into the corn fields behind the house. They ran, pushing through the corn stalks, leaving a trail that even a child could follow. It didn't matter. They were being chased by Enforcers of Heaven, angels whose purpose in life was to hunt those who had betrayed the covenant.  Even though she had bound them by Earth's laws, they could move faster than the average human. Certainly faster than she could with her two small boys.

But then, escape was not the point. Defiance was the point. Not giving up was the point and so they ran. They ran until Barney tripped and fell, crying with exhaustion and fear. She picked him up and held him close, stumbling forward with both boys in her arms, clinging to her neck. She lurched forward, muscles screaming from their combined weight until something slammed into her side, throwing her down, the boys flying from her arms.

She scrambled on the ground, trying to reach them but the Enforcer held her down. She threw her elbow back hard and heard the crunch as she connected with something soft. The weight on her back disappeared with a groan.

"Clint! Barney!" She clambered to her feet, searching wildly and then collapsed as an intense pain radiated from her back.  
She twitched and gasped as the electric currants from the taser ran through her. She managed to struggle onto her back and saw the angel with the brown curls standing over her panting, nose bloodied and taser in her hands.

Footsteps came from her left and she rolled her head to see Nick and Alex, holding her boys, limp and dangling from their arms.

She whimpered and Alex cocked his head, looking down at her. "And will you beg?" he asked curiously.

She kept silent, staring at him with as much hatred as she could convey.

"Hmm." He looked across at other enforcer. "Peggy. You're bleeding."

Peggy wiped her sleeve across her face and stared at the smear. "I hate Earth. Can we leave now?"

Nick nodded, "Yes. We got what we came for. Hold on to her."

As Peggy reached down to grab her arm, Edith managed to twist away and tried to kick out. Peggy moved out of the way, chuckling. "Fighting until the very end. You would have been the best of all of us, you know."

Then Peggy touched the taser to her neck and the current ran through Edith relentlessly. She fell again, this time into darkness.


	2. Judgement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The judgement of Edith begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, thanks for all the love and support! You guys are awesome!

Nick thought that Clint didn't remember anything about the judgement. Clint knew this. After all, he had never spoken about it, never even mentioned it. But Clint remembered. He remembered everything.

* * *

"Stop hitting the door, Clint. They're not going to let us out." Barney sat on floor in the small room, head back against the wall, knees pressed against his chest.

"But I want Mama! Where's Mama?" Clint slapped the door again with both hands. It hurt, but he didn't care.

"I don't know." Barney stayed silent as Clint continued to hit the door. After a minute, he moved to grab Clint's wrists. "Stop it!"

Clint struggled for a second, then collapsed into Barney's arms, crying softly. Barney held him tight, and Clint could feel him shaking.

"What's going to happen to us?"

"I don't know," Barney said again. "I don't remember much about this place. Just-"

Clint looked up when Barney didn't continue. "Just what?"

"Fire. All I remember is fire." Barney stared at the door, but Clint wasn't sure what his brother was seeing.

"Barney, I don't like fire," Clint whispered.

"I don't either, kid. I don't either."

The door began to slowly open, and Barney scooted back, dragging Clint with him. A soft light seeped into the room, and the figure in the doorway stood tall and imposing. He stepped forward and Clint realized it was one of the angels who had come to their house. The one whose eyes had shone like golden coins from his dark brown skin.

He stared at the boys huddled on the floor and said gently, "It's time."

"Time for what?" Barney asked gruffly. Clint reached out to clutch his brother's hand when he realized that Barney was trying to keep his voice from shaking.

"Time for the judgement. Come."

* * *

Clint was grateful that both of his hands were being held, one by Barney and the other by the angel ( _"My name is Nicholas but you may call me Nick. I am an Enforcer. My team and I will protect you."_ ). If they hadn't kept a tight grip on him, he knew that he would have run, or been frozen still, or passed out, but as it was he had to keep moving or get dragged.

They entered through a tall arching doorway into what seemed to be a massive room. Immediately they were surrounded by other angels with fiery wings who moved to form a tight circle around them, protecting them he realized since they began to push through a crowd of people in order to reach the front of the room. The crowd was made up entirely of people with wings of all different colors. Angels.

"Barney," he hissed, "Barney! They're angels!"

"Yeah, I know."

Clint was too overwhelmed to hear the misery in Barney's voice or feel the way that the older boy was shrinking in on himself. He was so mesmerized by the flutter and movement of all the wings that they were almost to the front of the room before he grasped what the crowd was saying.

_"Look, look, it's true!"_

_"Anathema...but he's only a child."_

_"May the One protect us, what was she thinking?"_

_"The demon child..."_

_"Children! The other one...look!"_

_"They're tainted! We must be rid of them!"_

Clint suddenly found himself wrapped up in Nick's arms, the crimson wings enveloping him, shielding him from light and sound.The wings vibrated as though something had hit them, but all he felt was the softness of the feathers. Then the light came flooding back as the wings snapped open rising wide and tall above him, casting a shadow over Clint and the crowd.

_"Who dares_?"

Clint flinched at the loud growl and hid his face against the angel's chest. Nick's arms held him gently, and Clint felt the rumbles in his chest as the angel continued to speak.

"Who dares to attack one that the Enforcers have been requested to protect? Who dares to attack a child!"

The mutterings from the crowd continued but they were lower and no one seemed to respond to the Enforcer's challenge. Clint cautiously raised his head. He saw that Barney was being held and shielded by another Enforcer. The rest of the Enforcers stood in a tight ring around them, their wings flared out. Clint tipped his head back to stare up at Nick. His eyes were hard and unfriendly as they swept the crowd and light seemed to glow from beneath his skin.

Still cradling Clint, Nick bent quickly and picked up a short wooden club from the ground. It couldn't have been there before, the  ground was smooth and white, and Clint realized that someone had thrown it. Someone had thrown it at him, and Nick had protected him with his wings. The angel held the club up to show the crowd, and everyone watched as it began to melt and twist in his hands until he flung it down in a crumpled mess of wood.

He looked down at Clint, who stared back, his mouth open and eyes wide. Nick nodded at him and tightened both arms around him. The wings wrapped around Clint as Nick continued to move through the crowd. The boy could not longer hear the mutterings of the angels, but he felt the anger, sharp and bright. He felt something else as well, sludgey and brown, like mud clinging to his shoes, but he didn't know what it was.

Nick stopped and lowered Clint onto a long bench. Clint scooted along the smooth surface until he was in the middle of the bench. He saw the other Enforcer put Barney down and reached out to hug him when his brother had come close enough. He didn't know who was shaking, him or Barney, so he just held on tight and hoped it would all stop.

The Enforcers surrounded them on the bench. Clint twisted his head around and saw that the crowd that they had pushed through was settling into their seats as well. He looked forward, trying to understand who was happening.

There was a railing in front of him, but past that he could see a large stage with rows of benches on either side. In between the benches there was a tall stand, and in front of the stand was a stool. A door opened at the side of the stage, and Clint watched as more angels filed in and took their seats along the benches on the stage. These angels wore white robes, plain and rough, but their wings were black, the feathers shiny and sleek. The room fell silent. Barney squeezed his hand so hard that Clint squeaked, but he didn't try to let go.

An angel rose from the benches and positioned himself behind the tall stand. His wings flared and quivered slightly, before tucking in neatly against his back. He then spoke in a loud, clear voice, "Bring in the one who has broken the covenant."  

The door opened again and a pair of Enforcers led in another angel, dressed in a white jumpsuit, a black hood hiding the face from the crowd. The  angel's white wings were tight and blended in with the jumpsuit. The Enforcers led the angel to the stool. Ceremoniously, they lifted the hood from the angel's head and stepped back. As the angel looked around, blinking in the sudden light, Clint let out a gasp.

"Mama!" The loud scream was startling, and he realized it had come from him. He let go of Barney's hand, and began to try to climb over the railing to get to the stage. Something grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him back to the bench. 

"No, no, please!" he sobbed. He struggled, but the hand held him tightly.

"No, _esheki_. You must watch. I'm sorry, but you must watch."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hang with me on [tumblr ](http://unnaturalnoise.tumblr.com) and leave me prompts!


	3. Righting The Wrongs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The judgement of Edith ends.

Edith sat down heavily on the stool, watching Nick hold on to Clint. She had dreaded this day since she had first realized that she was pregnant. She had thought she could out run it, but now she was going to be punished for her sins and her boys would have to watch. She cast her eyes worriedly over Barney- he was frozen, his eyes locked on her. She held his gaze as bars of light snapped up around her, caging her in.

"Edith."

She turned slowly to look at the judge. Franklin was reputed to be fair in his cases, but as he stood at the podium, looming over her, she didn't know if she could let herself hope.

"Edith," he said again. "You came to Heaven after dying in a car accident. You lived among us, become one of us. You entered training to become an Enforcer, yet your wings are still the color of the Unassigned. Can you tell us why?

Edith smiled bitterly. Everyone in the room knew why, but they wanted her to admit it freely. That was fine, she was not ashamed.

"I left Heaven before I could finish my training."

"And why did you leave?"

"I had a child."

"You had a child with a demon."

She took a deep breath. "The father of my son...yes, he was a demon."

She flinched from the roar behind her. As the crowd shouted their anger and disgust, she looked again at her sons. Nick had Clint caged in with his wings. Barney was sitting still, so very still. She wondered how much he remembered, if he had already realized the only way this judgement could end.

Franklin spread his wings, the movement regaining the attention of the audience. He waited for the noise to die down and then said, "So you admit that your child is anathema."

Edith squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them as she blew out a soft sigh. "Yes."

"And you admit to running away, not only with your child, but with the child of your demon lover.

"Yes."

"You admit to breaking the covenant- having a child with one of the Fallen, taking away the joy of a newly born child, and aiding Hell in integrating its spawn among the humans."

The judge began to beat his wings, the movement lifting him up into the air at a measured pace. He pointed a finger at Edith, his voice rising louder and louder.

"You admit to your actions! You have been dragged back by our Enforcers, shamed and ill used, you have come back to repent."

"No!"

Edith leapt off her seat, fists by her side. She spread her own wings wide, hissing when they connected with the bars of her cage. She struggled to ignore the burning sensation and glared at the judge.

Franklin glided over the podium and hovered in the air in front of her. "No? No? You deny the charges?"

"No, but I-"

"Then you have no cause to refute!" He spun away, high in the air. "By your own admission, you have done these things."

"Yes, but I am not ashamed!"

Franklin stared at her, then lowered himself to his podium. He folded his hands across the top and waited.

Edith glanced at the other twelve judges on the stage. They were staring at her, waiting for her to continue.

She took a deep breath. "I had a child with a demon. And I knew what you would think...what you all would think! But he was a baby! He was a baby and he deserved a chance to live, the same as any full born or half breed. I am not ashamed of him and I do not regret running."

There was silence for a moment. The judge sighed, "You, of course, made this decision assuming that the personality of his sire would not be passed on."

"I made my decision knowing that a loving home can raise a good child."

"And this also why you took the demon child?"

Edith sat back down slowly. "He was three, only three years old. Are you telling me that you leave a child that young in Hell?"

"If it is born from Hell, then it belongs there. You know this." Franklin motioned to one of the Enforcers who moved to the side door. "And since we are here to unveil truths and right wrongs, we shall start with this one. Bring in the Messenger."

Edith jerked her head towards the door and gasped. The Enforcer had returned, and following her was a Messenger demon.

The crowd behind her hissed and booed, yells echoing around the room. The demon smirked and crossed his arms across his broad chest. As the outcry continued, he bared his teeth, "Yes, yes! Give it to me, give it all to me! I live for it!"

"Enough!" Franklin's voice boomed through the room, quieting the crowd and lessening the demon's smirk. The judge glared at the Fallen. "You were invited here with the promise of proper behavior."

"Yes, yes, of course. My apologies." He tugged at the sleeves of his leather jacket, straightening it before tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans. Edith took a moment to observe him.

He didn't look that different from any of the angels around her. No wings, of course, instead the demon had a pair of small twisted horns nestled in his dark hair, the size and shape indicating his status and position in Hell. A general air of malevolence hung around him, but it was the eyes that were the greatest difference.  In their natural form, all angels had gold hued irises, but demons had irises of pure black. It was rumored that to look for too long into a demon's eyes was to give him access to the darkness that lay in your soul.

She looked away. She remembered the eyes.

Gradually, she became aware of what Franklin was saying. "- and so we have a child created in your realm, born of your people. He does not belong here with us."

"Ah, so you want us to take him back," the demon cocked his head. "I dunno, it's been four years. He's been under the influence of an angel all that time."

"Yes, and it is our decision that his father should have the chance to rectify that influence."

Edith gaped at them and then twisted to find Barney in the crowd. He wasn't on the bench, but she saw Nick still restraining Cling who was fighting him. Then movement out of the corner of her eyes, and she saw the Enforcer, Alex, carrying Barney. He was limp and unconscious, as Alex approached the stage.

"No. No, no, no, please! He's _my_ son, he's a  _good_ boy. He can be raised here in Heaven!"

"He is not blessed by the One. He cannot stay," Franklin dismissed her plea.

Helplessly, she watched as Alex handed Barney to the Messenger who tossed the boy over his shoulder. The demon then looked curiously at Edith, who stared back, tears beginning to fall from her eyes.

His lips curved in a smile. "Your anguish is exquisite." Then turning to the judge, "Are we done here?"

"Yes, and our thanks."

"No problem. Been meaning to drop by Harold's place anyway." With that, he turned and left the stage. Edith kept her eyes on Barney until the door closed behind them.

Franklin sighed, and looked at the twelve judges who sat quietly on their benches. "Let the record show that we have corrected this wrong wrought four years ago."

"It is noted," the judges said in unison.

Franklin sighed again, "Now Edith. As for your other sin..."

Edith stood again to watch Nick slowly approach the stage, easily containing a kicking Clint. 

She whimpered, "Please, oh please."

"Edith, you had a child with one of the Fallen. We cannot forgive this."

Nick stopped a few feet away from Edith. "Sir, if you will...as Edith's training officer, I have the right to ask for leniency in her judgement."

"Yes, you do have that right, and we take that into consideration. We are ready to make our judgement." Franklin paused and turned to Edith. "If there something you would like to say, please go ahead."

"Just...Clint."

At the sound of her voice, the small boy stopped twisting and stared at her, panting. She met his blue-green eyes, and smiled. "I love you. More than life."

He began to sob, and continued his kicking. She heard him plead with Nick to let him down, but she didn't any words of comfort. She wanted him to remember her lat words as they were.

"We now pass judgement," Franklin intoned solemnly.

Nick moved back to the edge of the stage as the twelves judges rose from the benches. They stretched their hands out, and Edith could see the flames gathering, building in front of them, a giant cloud of fire ready to be wielded.

"Clint! No!"

She spun towards Nick at the sound of his shout. Horrified, she saw Clint twist out of his arms, running straight towards her. She opened her mouth to scream her fear when she felt the fire consume her. And instead, she screamed her pain as she burned.

* * *

 

Clint woke with a jerk and fell out of bed. He lay sprawled on the floor of his bedroom, panting as the last dregs of his dream faded. He pressed his cheek in the hardwood floor and closed his eyes.

_Mama!_

_Hands grabbing him, blocking his view of  the burning cage. Choked whispers, Don't look, don't look, as he hid in a cocoon of wings. He couldn't hear his sobs over her screams._

Clint sat up and fought his way of the tangle of blankets. He staggered into his bathroom, wincing as he snapped the light on. He clutched the sink as he waited for his breathing to slow, waited for the memories to fade. It took longer than he wanted to admit, but he had been having the same dream for fifteen years. No use in trying to rush things.

Sighing, he looked up at his reflection. Blue-green eyes stared back at him. He sighed again and shut off the lights as he went back to his bedroom. It was still dark outside his windows, but the rumpled sheets on the floor weren't at all inviting. In any case, he didn't feel like dreaming anymore tonight.

He carefully listened for the snores coming from the next room. When they rose and fell steadily, he moved to swiftly change into a t-shirt and shorts, then crept out of his room and down the hall to the front door. Grabbing his bow from the wall by the door, he listened again. Satisfied that his parents were still asleep, he slipped out the door and into the night.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hang with me on [tumblr ](http://unnaturalnoise.tumblr.com) and leave me prompts!


End file.
